The end of the shopping is in sight!

I promise that the daily updates will end soon- otherwise I am going to lose my entire overwhelmed audience!

Today was another shopping day, first at the Walmart-like store and then back to my favorite IKEA-like place.  Yesterday when I went we had these big shopping carts full of stuff and we live basically across the street from the back of the building, so they let us walk them home and one of their employees walked with us and took the carts back.  Today I was leaving alone with another cart full so I asked if I could take it and bring it back (or something like that, it was more gestures than actual words).  Instead the guy from the day before came over and pushed the cart back for me.  This time they got smart and took me out the back where the unload the trucks so we didn't have to walk around the building. 

A few funny things about living here:

• Sinks and taps don't have hot and cold water- there's just on and off.  The water is maybe a few degrees below room temp.  I suppose if you want cold water you put it in the fridge.  If you want hot you have to heat it up somehow.  My shower has a hot water heater between the tap and the spout that has been added, so I do have a hot shower option.  I don't always use it.  
• Parking at the mall is insane, so they have a special parking level, floor 2 1/2 that is only for women (and the woman must be driving, not in the passenger seat).  Floor 2.5 has a large pink "Lady Parking" sign.  There is even an attendant at the entrance to make sure you're a lady.  There's ample parking available on 2.5, which makes me wonder, who are all these men parking at the mall?  
• Buying a cell phone in the States is obnoxious and takes way longer than it should.  Buying a cell phone in Argentina is obnoxious and takes way longer than it should.  Buying a cell phone in Thailand is obnoxious and takes way longer than it should. 
• I continue to find more and more Spanish speakers on staff- people who have studied more Spanish than me and lived in Spanish speaking countries longer than me, so it's a bit intimidating to be teaching it.  I keep thinking there must be someone more qualified than me!  Don't get me wrong, I want to teach Spanish and am glad they asked me, but I do feel like a bit of a fraud with it.  

My apartment is mostly set up now. There is nothing on the walls yet and I have a big TV sized hole to fill in my entertainment center, but otherwise I feel good.  I talked to someone today about a plant nursery nearby so at some point I can get some plants- the living room needs them.  

Hot water system in the shower.